Install Connector Software without joining Domain?

[kamaran]

I know there was a previous registry fix for this for R1, however it doesn't seem to work for me (I've tried using 2 machines) with R2.  The clients succesfully install, but they DO join the domain and it creates new Windows profiles on each PC.

 

Can anyone advise if they have joined clients succesfully without joining the domain and if so, provide a step by step guide?

 

 

[jmwills]

To skip joining the domain during a client deployment.

On your client computer, go to Start and search for command prompt "cmd".
In the search results, find cmd.exe and run as administrator.

Type the following command prompt:
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Server\ClientDeployment" /v SkipDomainJoin /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Complete the steps on the Connect Computers to the Server Help topic.

[kamaran]

That's the registry fix I mentioned that failed in my original post.

 

Is this verified as working in R2?

[jmwills]

Were the clients previously joined?  If os, you will have to remove them form AD and rejoin them back to a Workgroup before proceeding again.

[kamaran]

Were the clients previously joined?  If os, you will have to remove them form AD and rejoin them back to a Workgroup before proceeding again.

They were only in a workgroup before, but are now in the DOMAIN

 

So from this point, what steps do I need to take please?

[Jason]

This didn't work for me when the client was a member of a existing domain and I attempted to join R2 off domAin for client backup only. It works on R1.

[kamaran]

I have found a horrible workaround

 

Install client as normal on PC

 

System Restore PC back to before the client installation

 

Don't make any modifications on the server side

 

Install client again on PC - this time it will give you error messages that the PC already exists - choose OK/Yes and won't add it to the domain again.

Edited November 15, 2013 by kamaran

[jmwills]

First of all, the client MUST be in a workgroup before attempting to install the connector software.  Make sure the client computer object does not exist in the R2 domain (whatever that name is). 
 

Then run the registry hack and then install the connector software.

 

 

Why not just let the server does what it's supposed to do?

[Jason]

That's one benefit of the WSE12 R1 connector. You can still skip the server domain and Allow the client to remain connected to a corporate domain. Yet it sill still backup.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Jason

[oceang]

I have successfully used the registry fix with Windows Server 2012 Std R2 with the Essentials Role.

 

I have migrated 6 machines from a WHS2011 environment using a single workgroup to the new 2012 R2 server. They are a mix of Win 7 Home, Win 7 Pro, Win 8 Pro and Win 8.1 Pro.

 

Client Backups are all working fine and so far I have tested bare metal restores over the network to a Win 7 Pro and a Win 8 Pro client.

 

I did not have to do anything like what Kamaran reported.